Elementary Age

Evening Insect Adventure: Blacklighting

Explore the wonderful insects that fly at night at The Butterfly House during this special event to celebrate National Moth Week. Entomologists will set up black lights, which will attract night-flying insects from miles away. This one-of-a-kind experience will give you a chance to closely observe rarely seen nocturnal insects that come to the light. Sightings may include large moths, beetles, crickets and other fascinating insects.

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Garden Buds Summer Saturdays: Journey to China

Discover the amazing world of plants with your preschooler during the Garden Buds Summer Saturdays series at the Missouri Botanical Garden. These fun, hands-on classes are for children ages 4 to 6 with a parent.

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Garden Buds Summer Saturdays: Search for Secrets

During this class, kids will discover why birds find the Garden such a wonderful place to live, then make a bird feeder to take home and help attract birds to their own yard.

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Music of China

Visitors to The Magic House can enjoy performances from the St. Louis Modern Chinese School showcasing a variety of Chinese instruments.

There will be Waist Drum performances at 10 a.m. and noonm and singing performances at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.

Free with admission. More information: magichouse.org

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$8 Admission Day at The Magic House

The number 8 is lucky in Chinese culture, so The Magic House is bringing great luck to all its visitors on 8/8 as they drop admission to $8 per person.

This discounted admisson cannot be combined with any other offers or discounts.

More information: magichouse.org

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Mammal Mania

Kids ages 6 and up will learn about mammals living in Missouri, touch animal pelts and skulls. Part of the Super Summer Series at Powder Valley Nature Center in Kirkwood.

10 to 11 a.m.

Free. For reservations, call 314-301-1500.

More information: mdc.mo.gov

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Nature: Friend or Foe?

Kids ages 6 and up will learn how to identify some common outdoor hazards and safely enjoy the great outdoors. Part of the Super Summer Series at Powder Valley Nature Center in Kirkwood.

10 to 11 a.m. Free, but reservations are required.

For reservations, call 314-301-1500.

More information: mdc.mo.gov

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Things to Do

Wild Lights at the Saint Louis Zoo

Saturday, December 20, 2025

Delight in brilliant, colorful light displays with spectacular photo opportunities throughout the Zoo during Wild Lights. Walk through two tunnels with dazzling lights, and enjoy themed displays featuring snowflakes, candy canes, gumdrops, penguins, polar bears, tigers, giraffes and much more at this St. Louis family-favorite holiday tradition. New this year: Visits with Santa!

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Supper With Santa at The Butterfly House

Saturday, December 20, 2025

Sunday, December 21, 2025

Santa is making a stop at The Butterfly House before he makes his trip around the world, and he wants to enjoy a meal with your family! Enjoy a delicious dinner, visit Santa's Workshop and Mrs. Claus's Cookie Kitchen, and have your picture taken with the guest of honor - Santa!

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Winter Wonderland in Tilles Park

Experience the holiday lights at Winter Wonderland in Tilles Park, where you'll find two million beautiful holiday lights and animated displays.

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Garden Glow at the Missouri Botanical Garden

More than a million lights will illuminate some of the Missouri Botanical Garden's most iconic locations, walkways will be transformed into sensory light tunnels providing an explosion of visual magic, and traditional candlelight village displays, festive drinks, s'mores and great photo opportunities will delight crowds of all ages.

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Brewery Lights at Anheuser-Busch Brewery

Enjoy the iconic lights that adorn the Anheuser-Busch Brewery close up during walking tours. Brewery Lights features more than one million twinkling lights, a Kids Winter Wonderland, a nightly parade featuring the World-Famous Clydesdales, and lots of family-friendly activities.

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Popular Stories

10 Family-Friendly New Year's Eve Celebrations in St. Louis

Who says you have to stay up late to ring in the new year? Kids can make some noise and welcome 2026 at these daytime and early evening celebrations designed just for families with young partygoers.

The St. Louis Children’s Choirs Give Every Singer the Chance to Shine on Stage

Something beautiful happens every time a child performs their favorite song. Even if they stumble over a lyric or tumble off key, the joy they find in exploring their musical journey can be felt by those lucky enough to listen. When hundreds of these young voices come together on one stage, that’s when something truly magical happens.

The Missouri History Museum Winter Getaway: Four Days of Free Fun and Learning for Your Family

This year’s annual Winter Getaway event is packed with free kid-friendly activities, performances, arts and crafts, and workshops that tie in with the Museum’s current collections and celebrate our city’s rich culture and holiday heritage.

Winter Break Camps Offer School Break Fun for Your Kids

Winter Break Camps offer your kids a fun way to spend their break from school. They'll participate in engaging activities that will make their school break memorable. We rounded up some fantastic options for Winter Break Camps for kids of all ages.

Miriam Celebrates Neurodiversity, Supports Unique Learners

At Miriam School, students with complex learning differences are supported and celebrated as they grow academically, socially and emotionally. Miriam provides a tailored educational experience for learners in grades K-12 who have not found success in traditional classroom settings. Students’ challenges may stem from specific learning disabilities (i.e. dyslexia or dysgraphia), ADHD, level 1 autism, sensory processing disorder, anxiety, or speech and language disorders.

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Families seeking festive fun over winter break are invited to join the Missouri History Museum for its annual Winter Getaway. Celebrate with make-and-take crafts, musical performances and wintery storytelling themes from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. each day. Ring in the New Year with little ones at the Noon Year’s Eve Celebration. For a complete daily schedule, visit the Museum’s website.

December 27 | Wild Winter. Explore the history and importance of animals in our region with touchable artifacts, storytelling, interactive workshops and crafts.

December 28 | All Dressed Up. Learn about all things clothing, fashion, and design, from kids to adults. Drape mannequins, design sneakers, watch a fashion show, and make your own paper dolls.

December 30 | Christmas across Europe. Discover how European Christmas traditions became part of American celebrations. Enjoy Christmas carols in a variety of languages, make ornaments and play pretend winter market.

December 31 | Noon Year’s Eve. A family celebration of the new year that ends at noon, with TWO giant balloon drops, live music, crafts and storytelling.

Step into 36,000 sq ft of tropical, action-packed fun - built for kids and grown-ups! Climb through a massive 3-story jungle gym, race down the towering volcano slide, bounce on trampolines, dive into foam pits, and explore a toddler area made just for little adventurers. Hungry? Their in-house cafe has everything you need to fuel the fun: pizza, wings, mac & cheese, funnel fries, a coffee bar, and more!

Planning a birthday? Celebrate big in epic themed party rooms like the Princess, Space, Jungle & more! Ditch the screens - plan your ultimate indoor adventure! LEARN MORE

Plan your child's summer at the biggest Summer Camp Expo in the St. Louis area, featuring 60+ local and regional summer camps offering day- and sleep-away camp experiences all across the St. Louis region and beyond. Bring your kids to Summer Expo 2026 and learn about a wide variety of summer learning and summer camp opportunities for kids of all ages. The Summer Expo is presented by Parkway-Rockwood Community Ed, sponsored by STL Parent and STL Camps, and is open to all families from any school district across the St. Louis metro area. Admission is free! 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday, February 1, 2026, at Parkway West High School. Stop by the STL Camps booth at the entrance and enter to win a free week of camp!

Learn more at summerexpostl,com

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